OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT Projects to free users

OpenAI has made its Projects feature available to free users of ChatGPT. Projects allow users to organize chats with the AI assistant around a specific subject, which was previously only accessible to paid subscribers. This feature enables users to set custom instructions for how the AI responds and limit the information and files it can reference, making it a useful option for power users. As part of this rollout, OpenAI has also increased the number of files that can be added to a project for ChatGPT to reference. Free users can upload five files, Plus subscribers can upload 25, and Pro subscribers can upload 40. Additionally, users can now customize the color and icon for their projects, regardless of their subscription status. OpenAI has a history of gradually making paid features available to its free users, such as Deep Research and ChatGPT Voice. This strategy is likely aimed at encouraging free users to become paid subscribers, as offering a formerly premium feature with limits can serve as an incentive. The company's recent decision to make the GPT-5 model available to everyone at launch, but with harsher limits for free users, follows a similar approach.